


Foxtails

by VulpesVulpes713



Series: Foxtails [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Laith, M/M, Photographer Keith, Voltron, for fox sake continued, implied nsfw, klance, spirit lance, vld, winter mode activated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 17:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulpesVulpes713/pseuds/VulpesVulpes713
Summary: Distance, as they say, makes the heart grow fonder. But it also leaves the soul empty; nights as lonely as the stars above. It's a cold thing, distance, much like the trail that leads up to the cabin hidden from most, guarded by a fox with a flame in his heart. But no amount of snow will keep Keith from reaching Lance, closing the distance between them with each eager step.For it's the return that has the most impact, turning the tears of sadness into ones of joy, and allowing kisses to be met with hungry lips and needy hands, mouths hardly fitting together as smiles burn into cheeks.It's good to be home.





	Foxtails

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the long wait my dudes, writing motivation has been at an all time minimum. But this will have three parts and a happy end :)

> _ “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.” -The Little Prince _

 

He really should have checked the weather.

 

That’s what any rational person would have done prior to undertaking such a long trip. It was easy enough to do anyways; just open the app or run a quick Google search... would have taken him two seconds back at the office. Then he would have known about the snowfall warning in effect, or the subzero temperatures expected in the higher elevations where he was heading. He would have chosen to dress warmer, or wait a few hours to see if the clouds would clear and the day grow less chilled. 

 

That was optimistic though. Hours had passed since he had driven to the bottom of the trail at the base of the valley, locking his vehicle and making sure it was in a relatively sheltered area, and the snow hadn’t shown any signs of stopping. It had been nice at first: tiny flakes fell lazily from a grey sky, and Keith had paused once or twice to try and photograph the icy crystals as they settled on his mittens. He had abandoned that effort after realizing a special lens was needed in order not melt the flakes right away as they landed on his mittens, and though he could fashion something to prevent the snow from evaporating within seconds, he found he was not eager to prolong his journey. 

 

See, there was someone waiting for him at the top of the mountain. 

 

Someone he hadn’t seen in what felt like a  _ very _ long time, and Keith was cursing the increasing depth of the powder accumulating along the open sections of trail, wishing he had snowmobiled up as Shiro had suggested. 

 

_ But that would have ruined it I think… the moment when we see each other again. I want it to be like before.  _

 

So he had declined, and opted for snowshoes instead.

 

Still, he should have checked the weather. 

 

He could barely see the path ahead of him at this point, trudging up the steep slope and weighed down by a cumbersome backpack. He was sweating from the exertion, even though he had been training for months for this exact trek, but the biting wind was making quick work of any excess moisture on his face, chilling him rather efficiently. 

 

His fingers, which he forced himself to wiggle beneath his gloves, were protesting loudly about the cold, but it was his feet that he was most worried about. He hadn’t heard any complaints from them in a while now, and was concerned about the level of numb they were experiencing. 

 

_ If I lose any toes to frostbite up here I’ll be very unimpressed,  _ he thought bitterly, but then smiled to himself.

 

_ Worth it though. _

 

And it was,  _ would be,  _ because Lance was up in their little cabin, waiting for him, and no matter how frozen his feet, Keith would keep going. 

 

He adjusted his bag after pulling out a thermos of hot chocolate, and sighed as the warmth of the liquid settled in the pit of his stomach, acting like a radiator for the rest of his body. It shouldn’t be long now anyway, but it was hard to get his bearings with a sheet of white blinding his line of sight, and as the wind started blowing sideways for no other reason than

to spite him, Keith gave up trying to determine how close he was getting. 

 

_ I must be almost there...I’ve been on this path for hours now. _

 

Or, at least, he had been trudging up what he  _ hoped _ was the trail leading up to the mountain valley. It was impossible to tell with three feet of snow blanketing the surroundings, and everything tended to look different in the middle of winter compared to summer. 

 

It was colder, for one, which Keith had  _ thought _ he was prepared to deal with. But  _ damn _ that wind was adamant about reminding him how unforgiving these parts were. 

 

_ If only it would stop blowing… _

 

Then he would be able to open his eyes fully. 

 

Then he could attempt to identify where he was.

 

Then he could get to the cabin faster!

 

_ I should have asked Lance to send some animal guide to get me. Like an escort or something. _

 

_ ….But that would have ruined the surprise.  _

 

Keith smirked to himself as he imagined how Lance was going to react once he felt him cross the border. He had mentioned to the forest spirit that he was planning a trip soon, using the satellite phones to communicate, but had neglected to give many details aside from that, despite Lance’s insistence. 

 

All he had said was that he and a few others were planning an expedition to set up some sort of experiment Allura’s team had designed to track wildlife activity in the area. Her research proposal had been well received, and coupled with Keith’s photos, the magazine they had printed had been a rather large success. 

 

Awareness for conservation of the region was increasing, and funding for further data collection was suggested, leading to them planning another trip. That had been in October though, when the ground was littered with leaves instead of snow, and Keith had been eager to leave as soon as possible.

 

He was disappointed to find out that researching actually took an incredibly frustrating amount of time, and impromptu trips up to the mountain weren’t easily attainable. 

 

So he had been forced to wait, and wait, _and_ _wait,_ as Allura worked with her team to develop plans and reports and data analyses, until _finally_ she was given the ok. 

 

And just like that a date was set, albeit months later than he’d hoped for, but Keith had endured. Now, with the date having painstakingly approached, Allura, Shiro, and possibly Matt if he was permitted, would be arriving at the mountain in a little over a week to join him. It had taken some convincing, and a lot of pouting, for Keith to get permission to leave earlier, saying he wanted to make sure everything was in order and whatnot. Shiro had been against it at first, arguing it was safer to travel together incase an accident happened or whatever, but had finally relented, and Keith had nearly broken down in tears at the idea of seeing Lance again. 

 

He recalled rushing out of that meeting with a grin plastered on his face, midway into dialing the satellite phone he had given Lance before leaving, when he had paused, re-evaluating what he should say. For some reason he had wanted to keep the news a secret; to see the look on Lance’s face when he walked into their cabin covered in snow and grinning like an idiot. 

 

_ I wonder what he’ll do? _

 

Keith hoped that whatever reaction Lance had to seeing him after so long involved a lot of hugs, cuddles and kisses, because he was  _ freezing _ , and only Lance had the power to warm him after such a taxing journey. 

 

Even the mere  _ thought _ of having Lance’s lips on his was enough to have Keith flushing with heat, and he ducked his head as his cheeks flared with a red not caused by the wind. 

 

_ Lance....soon. I promise. I’m almost there. _

 

_ If only this snow would- _

 

_ Wait… _

 

Keith stopped in his tracks, blinking at the sudden silence of the woods around him.

 

_ The wind died down… _

 

More than that it appeared, as there was hardly a breeze as Keith lifted his face and shook the snow from his hood, glancing about himself as the stillness settled down around him. Even the snowflakes, back to tumbling without purpose towards the ground, did so as if in slow motion, and Keith watched for a long moment, caught in a trance as he stared up into the sky. 

 

_ Amazing…I swear I was in the middle of a blizzard three seconds ago- _

 

He heard a sharp crack then, and swiveled around in the direction it had come. He didn’t see anything, even with the sudden calm weather, but did notice a large mass of snow to his right that looked oddly familiar. He approached it, sinking slightly deeper as he wandered off the path, and brushed the snow away from the surface of whatever was buried until his glove met rock.

 

_ A boulder? Oh...OH! _

 

_ This is it! The marker for Lance’s boundary!  _

 

Keith whipped around, pulling down his hood and scarf as his eyes scanned the area. It was all starting to look more familiar now, and he felt his heart swell with affection as he realized how close he was to seeing Lance. 

 

_ Just a bit further- _

 

Another crack in the woods, this one closer than before, and as Keith turned towards it, eyes not finding anything as they searched, he felt a presence. 

 

A strong wave of familiarity washed over him, one he recognized immediately; one he had missed with his entire self. 

 

_ It’s him! It has to be! _

 

But still his eyes saw nothing. No flash of orange, which would have stood out like an ink stain on paper, and no bronzen boy standing amongst the frozen tree trunks. 

 

Only snow, and shadows stained blue.

 

And yet he  _ felt _ it!

 

“Lance?” he asked cautiously, eyes narrowing as they peered into the darker sections of forest. “Lance, it’s me, Keith. I’ve come back-”

 

He broke off abruptly as something small and white rose up to meet him, tumbling into his chest with a force great enough to knock him off balance. 

 

And then he was falling. 

  
  


**Six Months Earlier**

 

“You’re sure you’re okay?” 

 

Keith grunted in reply, a new tactic for answering Shiro’s incessant repetition of the same question, seeing as all his verbal reassurances had apparently not been enough. The man still didn’t look convinced, brows pinching together as he watched for a moment longer, but he must have sensed Keith’s growing irritation, and finally relented with a sigh. 

 

“It’s just,” he went on, returning both eyes to the road as he swerved potholes that could rival small lakes. “You were acting so strange back there. And now you’re sort of...out of it, I guess. You sure you didn’t get heat stroke? I have extra water in the backseat if you need-”

 

“I’m just tired,” Keith cut in, voice soft and convincing enough that Shiro nodded. He felt bad for the way he was acting; knew he should be telling his boss all sorts of stories about what he had been up to during his month in the woods. 

 

And Keith knew that his abrupt hollering of ‘I remember you’ to the treetops was worthy of an explanation, but all he had provided was a brief smile in Shiro’s direction before being hit with the realization that he was leaving.

 

Leaving Lance for good. 

 

Not coming back for...well, he didn’t know. The only fact set in stone was the one reminding him that a piece of his heart had been left up on the mountain top, and Keith, though confident that he  _ would _ return, had experienced the ache of missing Lance in full throttle. Was  _ still  _ experiencing it, nearly an hour and a half later.

 

_ Oh god...I didn’t know it would hurt this much… _

 

He had clambered into the front seat of Shiro’s vehicle then as the sorrow of his reality hit him with the unforgiving force of a sledgehammer, and had remained selfishly silent throughout a good majority of the ride back home, not trusting his voice to speak. 

 

So Shiro’s concern was well placed, but Keith just wasn’t in the mood for explaining everything that had happened to him up in that cabin, in those woods...

 

Where would he even start?  _ Could _ he even start? Would his friends believe him if he told them his story? 

 

_ No.  _

 

Not yet at least. He needed some time to rest so they couldn’t blame his tellings on exhaustion. He needed to be back in his own bed in his own house, where he could sort through his thoughts and relive his memories with Lance in the privacy of his own-

 

_ Home? _

 

The word was difficult to swallow, so Keith held it in his mouth as he struggled to comprehend. 

 

Home wasn’t a small apartment in the city near the coffee shop that sold his favourite muffins anymore. It wasn’t a five minute bike to work, or a ten minute stroll to the park.

 

Home was a hike in the forest, filling the silence with huffs of laughter, or else enjoying the company of the bees whilst laying on mossy ground. Home was a waterfall and the cave it hid, as well as the soft whistle of wind through leaves; nature’s lullaby to the creatures of the woods. 

 

Home was a rickety old cabin nestled between two peaks in a valley belonging to a fox. 

 

Home was Lance, who was getting farther and farther away with each song on Shiro’s playlist. 

 

Keith sighed heavily into the hand propping up his face as he stared out the window, watching the foliage grow less dense, opening up into clearings that signified the introduction back into society. 

 

Roads and wires and loud, noisy trucks...humanity was ugly, and Keith’s entire body yearned to be away from it. 

 

_ Why did I even leave… _

 

But he knew the answer to that question already; had told Lance his reason the night before he had left. 

 

_ ‘Because if I don’t go back now, I’ll never be able to. I’ll get lost in the woods.’ _

 

Keith knew now how true those words had been, and though he was regretting his decision to leave and hating himself immensely for having done so, it had been the right thing to do. 

 

Besides, it was only temporary. He would be back. He just wasn’t sure when, and it was that uncertainty that was really dragging him down. All his doubts and anxieties had manifested into an anchor large enough to pull him beneath the waves of remorse, and the further they drove from the mountain and the forest and his fox, the deeper Keith sunk. 

 

It was only when Shiro nearly swerved off the road, reaching in the backseat for a bag and tossing it into Keith’s lap, that he was distracted long enough to pretend he wasn’t drowning. 

 

_ “Jesus-”  _  Keith cursed as he braced himself against the door.

 

“Sorry,” Shiro mumbled, smiling slightly as he placed both hands back on the wheel with a guilty grin. “I forgot I brought you some things.”

 

Keith raised a brow in confusion, glancing down at the bag deposited on his lap. It was plastic, coming from a supermarket or corner store, and he gasped as he reached inside, withdrawing his prize.

 

“Pringles!” 

 

Shiro snorted, likely at the abrupt change in demeanor of his passenger, and pointed at the bag again.

 

“And more,” he said, which had Keith eagerly pulling out the rest of the treats Shiro had bought. Aside from the Pringles, there was a pack of Skittles, two chocolate bars, a Vitaminwater and an orange soda, all very uncharacteristic purchases for Shiro to have made. He wasn’t a major sugar freak, and Keith glanced over at him with a huff of amusement.

 

“Is it your cheat day or something?”

 

“Cheat day?!” Shiro scoffed, grabbing the Skittles and ripping them open with his teeth. “Are you implying I’m on a  _ diet? _ Because, rude.”

 

“You never buy these kinds of things though,” Keith teased, popping the lid off the Pringles and diving in. His eyes watered at the intense vinegar odour that filled the cab of the car. 

 

“I know,” Shiro confessed, “but I figured you would want some sweets after living off oatmeal and water-activated meals for a month straight. It’s not like you had anyone to spoil you up there with fresh berries and fish.”

 

Keith paused in his eating, salt and vinegar stinging his lips as he stared down at the treats in his lap. 

 

_ But I did… _

 

“You want some?” Shiro asked, and Keith blinked away his thoughts as the bag of Skittles shook in front of his face. 

 

“Uh, sure,” he swallowed, wiping his chip-dusted fingers off on his pants before taking the offered candy. “I haven’t had these in forever. You sure you won’t get a sugar rush and drive over the speed limit?”

 

“I’m not some old man!” Shiro huffed indignantly, eating a handful of the colourful sweets to prove a point. “I can handle sugar. Now can you pass me a drink please? These things are hard to chew.”

 

Keith laughed at that, handing Shiro the orange soda and taking a large swig from the Vitaminwater as he watched his boss scowl down at the offered beverage.

 

“Uh…”

 

“What, too sweet for you?” 

 

Shiro narrowed his eyes at him, realizing the challenge. 

 

“No,” he drawled. “I just figured you would want the orange pop over the healthy water drink. You hate hydrating properly.” 

 

“I’m a changed man,” Keith mused, taking another drink to emphasize his point. “I basically lived off rainwater and dew from the grass.”

 

Shiro hummed as he raised both brows skeptically. 

 

“Okay there mountain man. Enjoy your added vitamins while I down this entire bottle of liquid sugar. Yuumm…”

 

Keith rolled his eyes, returning his attention to the window as signs began popping up along the road, pointing them towards the city. His eyes weren’t really focusing on any one thing, which is how he ended up mistaking an orange traffic cone discarded in the ditch for something else entirely, and he nearly jumped out of his seat as he craned to see. 

 

_ I thought- _

 

“Woah, what is it?” Shiro turned to look in the rear window, and Keith sighed heavily as he faced the front again.

 

“Nothing,” he mumbled. “Just thought I saw someon- _ thing. _ Something. It was nothing.”

 

“Oh,” Shiro harrumphed, concerned gaze falling back on Keith for a long moment. But a smile slowly crept on his face as Keith stowed the bag of junk food at his feet, which had him glancing over suspiciously at the expression.

 

“What’s with you?” he droned, catching the wink Shiro threw his way.

 

_ I knew he couldn’t handle the sugar. _

 

“Oh nothing,” Shiro replied with a feigned nonchalance, turning his eyes back to the road. “Just wondering if he was cute.”

 

Keith was glad he had had the forethought to put the snacks away, otherwise he would have spewed Vitaminwater and Pringle crumbs all over the dash of his boss’s car. As it was he ended up choking on air; a result of inhaling so suddenly saliva was introduced to the lungs, and he had to cough for several short minutes before being able to speak.

 

_ “What?!” _

 

_ There’s no way he knows, is there?! I mean, I didn’t say anything about him and even though I yelled up at the mountain he wouldn’t have been able to guess….Did he actually see a fox in that picture or did he see- _

 

Shiro was laughing, cutting Keith’s anxious thoughts off as he whipped around to stare up at his boss in horror as he spoke again.

 

“Must have been, judging from that reaction,” Shiro chuckled, shooting Keith a knowing look as he reached over to ruffle his hair. “When were you going to mention him?”

 

“Uh, um...what-”

 

“Don’t try and hide it Keith, I can read you like a children’s picture book. So who was he?”

 

_ Oh fuck, Jesus….okay-God, I guess this is it. Now I tell Shiro about the fox who turned out to be so much more than that. _

 

_ Just...oh man... _

 

“Well, uh,” he cleared his throat, more so out of nervous habit than necessity, and ran a hand through his hair as he struggled to determine the best way to explain who Lance was. Or better yet,  _ what _ . “He’s, uh…”

 

_ A fox-spirit-god thing who I think I fell in love with- _

 

“A hunter right?” Shiro filled in suddenly, “or was he just a hiker passing through?”

 

_ Passing through…? _

 

Keith stalled, perplexed by what Shiro was referring to, and shook his head.

 

“Oh?” Shiro quipped, noticing the movement. “Well you never did tell me. I was freaking out a bit after that phone call. It sounded like something fell over and then there was yelling and then you sort of just hung up on me. I kept meaning to ask about it afterwards but always forgot to bring it up.”

 

_ Phone...call? What is he- _

 

And then it clicked.

 

_ Oh! Shit that’s right! I was in the middle of calling Shiro when Lance woke up that morning! After the...the attack… _

 

He shook his head again, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to shove away the flashbacks of bear claws and deep wounds gouged in brown skin. Lance had survived, but only just, and Keith was constantly reminded about how lucky they both had been. 

 

_ He almost didn’t make it. I was so worried- _

 

“Keith?” Shiro’s voice pulled him out of the memories, and then a hand was landing on his shoulder, shaking it gently as Keith lifted his head. “Are you ok?”

 

“Yeah, sorry,” he slapped on a smile to reassure his friend, though he wasn’t sure how convincing it looked. “I’m good.”

 

“You sure? I was just teasing you before but now I’m worried that this guy did something to you-”

 

“No! No-” Keith waved his hands frantically, halting Shiro’s train of thought. “Nothing like that.”

 

“Then what?”

 

Keith inhaled deeply, desperate to collect his thoughts now that he knew Shiro wasn’t specifically referring to Lance. He still had no idea about him, which was both reassuring and problematic for Keith, but explaining Lance to Shiro and everyone else would take time and a lot of convincing. He was somewhat grateful for the opportunity to keep things vague.

 

“Well, nothing really. There was just a guy that showed up at the cabin...” he trailed off, wondering how he could phrase his statement without completely lying to his boss. “Uh, he stayed for a few days in the cabin with me” - _ actually in my bed-  _ “and he joined me for some photography sessions” - _ he  _ was _ the photography sessions- _ “and we just sort of hung out and talked and” - _ and I fell in love with him.  _ “Yeah. That’s it.”

 

Shiro was smirking, humming to himself as he turned back to face the road. 

 

“So he  _ was _ cute,” he teased, and Keith felt his cheeks burn as he ducked his head. 

 

“Yeah…he was.”

 

“Did you give him your number?” 

 

“Uh…sort of,” Keith mumbled, thinking about the satellite phone he had left with Lance. 

 

_ Keep it vague. _

 

“Do you have any photos of him?” Shiro asked, and again Keith felt his chest tighten as he recalled the picture of his bronzen beauty tucked safely in his pocket, berry-stained and ethereal.

 

“Uh…” he chuckled, knowing Shiro wouldn’t be content with his answer but giving it nonetheless. “Sort of. But you can’t see them.”

 

“What! Why not!?”

 

_ Because you’ll only see a fox. Or a bear. Or a mountain goat...  _

 

“You just can’t.”

 

_ It’s a fact. I think.  _

 

Shiro huffed, lower lip jutting out in a pout. 

 

“I’m your boss. I could just demand you show me.”

 

Keith shrugged, knowing full well that Shiro  _ could _ easily do such a thing, which would result in an awkward situation when all he got were photos of wild animals. But Keith also knew Shiro wouldn’t invade his privacy, and could hoarder his photos of Lance in peace without his boss prying. 

 

Shiro must have known what he was thinking, as he sighed in defeat a moment later.

 

“But I won’t,” he confessed, and Keith shot him a grin. “Still, I expect some more details on this guy. Was he tall? Short? Muscular? Oh god, he wasn’t some old dude, was he?” 

 

Keith bit back a laugh, wondering how he could answer that. Technically Lance was much,  _ much _ older than him, though he hadn’t exactly asked specifics. All he knew was that his magical spirit boy wasn’t anywhere close to his own twenty-four years. 

 

And though ‘old dude’ was a bit on the harsh side, Keith doubted it was completely inaccurate.

 

Shiro, unfortunately, misread his hidden snicker as one of guilt over amusement, and gasped in horror as he nearly swerved off the road.

 

“oH MY GOD HE WAS, WASN’T HE!” 

 

Keith  _ did _ laugh then, covering his mouth with his hands at Shiro’s aghast expression. 

 

“No! He wasn’t,” he managed to explain, but his boss didn’t look all that convinced. 

 

“I’ll need photo evidence then.”

 

“Pfft,” Keith scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Nice try. You’ll just have to take my word for it.”

 

Shiro huffed his irritation but didn’t pursue the topic. And though Keith was still wary about how much he could actually reveal about Lance, it felt amazing to be able to talk with Shiro about him, as ambiguous as he was being. Admitting that he hadn’t been alone for the entire month aside from Allura’s short visit was almost relieving to share, as though it had been some major secret he had been destined to keep.

 

He was still planning on telling Shiro the truth, eventually, but that needed time. For now he was content to pretend Lance had been a hiker passing through for a short while, as Shiro assumed, and talk about him without hiding his smile. 

 

Unfortunately, Shiro was better at reading him than he thought. 

 

“You like him, don’t you.”

 

It wasn’t a question, so Keith didn’t bother answering. There was no point denying it anyway, Shiro was just too good at deciphering his unspoken words. 

 

So instead he nodded shyly, keeping his gaze straight ahead to avoid Shiro’s simper. 

 

“Figured. Well, I’m happy for you. And it’s nice to know you had some company up on that mountain for a few days.”

 

“Yeah,” Keith hummed, not bothering to correct his friend on the legitimate time frame Lance had been with him. “It was great.”

 

_ So great. Impossibly great. I want to come back as soon as possible, _ Keith thought as he reached for his drink, thinking about how nice it was to confide in Shiro about his feelings for the boy he had met on the mountain, even if it was an alternate version of the tale. 

 

He was calmer knowing his boss had some idea of how his month had gone, and felt that when he  _ did _ tell the truth in the future, it would be an easier pill to swallow now that Shiro was aware of some of the facts. 

 

_ I’m glad. This is a lot better,  _ he mentally thanked his friend, glancing over at him with a sheepish smile. Shiro returned it, shooting him a wink as well.  _ Much better- _

 

“And I hope you used protection.”

 

_ Or maybe not, _ Keith screamed internally as Vitaminwater was spit all over the front of the vehicle; Shiro’s laughter turning into frenzied curses as he once again hastily swerved to avoid the ditch. 

 

“I WAS JOKING!”  he hollered as Keith spluttered in embarrassment. “DID YOU _ ACTUALLY _ DO IT?!”

 

_ Oh god….please no, _ but it was too late for such pleas.

 

The rest of the car ride home was spent as a lecture on strange diseases and the dangers of unprotected sex, during which Keith contemplated how many injuries he would suffer should he bail from the vehicle in the middle of the highway. 

 

He would have done it, but the risk of prolonging the time it took to get back to Lance was too great to wager should he get injured, so Keith had stuck it out and nodded along to everything Shiro said, knowing it would be a long while before he was let off the hook. 

 

Not that he completely minded, seeing as the discussion brought some rather pleasant memories to the forefront of his mind, which Shiro made faces at whenever Keith let a detail slip. 

 

From there it had turned into a competition of teasing, with Keith bringing Matt into the equation to even the battlefield, and when they finally pulled into the city, both men were blushing furiously about their respective romantic adventures over the month.  

 

But Keith was smiling; his misery over leaving Lance somewhat dampened as he reminisced fondly about the boy, content to be able to tell some parts of his story to Shiro without fear of being called insane. 

 

It was only when he unlocked the front door of his apartment that he was reminded of how much he truly missed his fox, and without Shiro there to fill the silence, Keith was consumed once again by the pain of a heart stretched too far.

 

_ How long until I see you again Lance? _

 

_ I miss you...a lot more than I thought I could.  _

 

_ I want to come back. I  _ will  _ come back. _

 

_ I just don’t know when. _

 

* * *

 

 

He was given a few days off in order to sort through his belongings and get reacquainted with modern day life. It was an unnecessary amount of time, seeing as it only took a few hours to unpack his bag and properly shower for the first time in a month, but Shiro was insistent that he allow himself the rest. 

 

_ I don’t need rest, _ Keith thought indignantly as he tossed his cell on the bed.  _ I need to see Lance. I need to talk to him. _

 

He had been negligent upon leaving Shiro’s vehicle and had completely forgotten to take the satellite phone that belonged to his boss with him. And after realizing his mistake Keith had undergone an emotional bungee jump of regret and guilt, knowing Lance would still be waiting patiently for him to call.

 

Needless to say he didn’t have a very restful sleep that night, plagued by nightmares and the cold chill of an empty bed. He hadn’t fully appreciated the warmth Lance gave off when they cuddled up in their mountain shack; mourned the moments he had tossed lanky brown arms from off his body with mumbled complaints of being too hot. 

 

_ I would give anything to have Lance smother me in one of his hugs again.  _

 

But his wishes weren’t about to come true anytime soon, so it was with a begrudging huff that Keith awoke early the next morning to make a proper cup of coffee and fill the hole in his chest with pricey pastries from down the street. 

 

After that he had called Shiro and asked to use his satellite phone, keeping his reasoning simple and aloof, until finally his boss had agreed. Now all he had to do was wait for him to pull up in front of his apartment, which shouldn’t have taken longer than a few minutes. However, much like watching a pot of water come to a boil, Keith’s incessant staring out his front window was doing little to hasten Shiro’s arrival. 

 

He was nervous, and anxious, and growing increasingly frustrated with each minute that went by.

 

_ Ah where the hell are you!?  _

 

He was in the middle of debating if it would be faster to simply go to the office himself to retrieve the phone when Shiro’s jeep pulled into the lot out front, and Keith didn’t even wait for him to fully exit the vehicle before he was rushing downstairs and holding out his hands in anticipation. 

 

“Oh, geez hey-”

 

“Phone, now!” Keith interrupted, ignoring the look of bewilderment thrown his way. 

 

“It’s here,” Shiro handed it over, and Keith snatched it away with greedy fingers. 

 

“It’s charged?”

 

“Yeah-”

 

“Awesomethankyousomuch!” Keith breathed out, grin growing as he ran back into his apartment without waving goodbye. He would explain to Shiro later, possibly, about why he was so antsy to have the device. But for the time being all Keith cared about was contacting the boy up on the mountain; hearing his voice and pretending he was back in the cabin they’d shared. 

 

It took him three tries to enter in the proper number due his fingers trembling as much as they were, almost like he was nervous or something.

 

But why should he be nervous? This was Lance. All he was doing was calling him and checking in and...well, hearing him speak in those teasing tones he had come to love so much. His raised heart rate was simply due to eagerness, not doubt. Lance would pick up. They would have a conversation, talk about their night apart, and everything would be fine. 

 

_ Yeah, _ he told himself as he sat down on his couch and inhaled deeply.  _ It’s Lance. And he likely misses me as much as I miss him.  _

 

_ So stop worrying that he won’t answer. He will.  _

 

_ He will.. _

 

And he did. On the second ring. Only it was Keith who spoke first.

 

“Lance? It’s me-”

 

“ _ KEITH!”  _

 

He pulled the phone away from his ear, wincing at the volume Lance’s voice carried but beaming nonetheless. 

 

_ Oh man, I missed hearing him say my name.  _

 

_ Or yell it, in this case. _

 

Lance was still chanting his name when he brought the device back to his face, and though Keith enjoyed hearing the absolute joy in the boys tone, there was too much he wanted to say to allow it to go on.

 

“Lance-”

 

“ _ Keith! Keith! Keith! I was so worried you wouldn’t talk to me after that first call! I didn’t know who it was and it didn’t sound like you-” _

 

“Lance.”

 

_ “-so I panicked and hung up...I think. I don’t know, I sort of just threw the phone and then I thought it might be broken-” _

 

“Lance wait-”

 

_ “-because you didn’t call again, and I waited all night but there was nothing, and I thought you might have forgotten again...and I was crying and I wanted to go find you, but I couldn’t leave and-”  _ he finally broke off, heaving and clearly distressed, which thoroughly tore Keith’s heart directly in half. But then Lance was laughing, though it sounded as though it would morph into tears at any point.  _ “What took you so long?” _

 

Keith closed his eyes as he leaned back on the couch, cursing himself for having forgotten the satellite phone the night before and forcing Lance to endure all his uncertainties alone. But this was not the time for scolding, and he sighed as he brought the receiver close to his mouth.

 

“I’m sorry Lance. I wanted to call as soon as I got to the bottom of the trail but Shiro’s phone was dead and then I left it in the backseat of his car and…” he trailed off, feeling the familiar ache in his lower jaw that usually signalled tears. He pushed on even as he felt one slip down his cheek. “I miss you.”

 

There was a moment of silence on the other end, in which Keith briefly worried that Lance had hung up, but then he heard a faint sniff and a muffled voice echo into his ear.

 

“ _ I miss you too. I want you back here,” _ Lance whispered, and Keith could tell that he was crying as well. He longed to be there to wipe away the tears; hated that he was so far away and could only provide comfort through a speaker. But that was all they had to work with.

 

“Lance,” he began, keeping his voice low to match the tone his fox had used. “I’ll be back. I promised, remember? We’ll just have to wait a little bit is all.”

 

_ “How long is a little bit?” _

 

Keith hesitated in answering, unsure how he should. Because he didn’t know, and there was no use getting Lance’s hopes up by saying ‘soon’ or ‘not long’ when it could well be months before they saw one another again. It just wasn’t fair. 

 

So instead of giving a proper response, Keith asked a question of his own.

 

“Hey, you know how Allura talked about the stars, and how she knew that her partner would be looking at the same ones, no matter how far apart they were?”

 

He assumed Lance must have nodded, because no verbal reply came. 

 

“Well,” he went on, hoping the boy was still listening, “We’re still underneath the same sky, right? So whenever you’re feeling lonely just look up at the stars and know that I’ll be doing the same.”

 

There was a pause, but Keith knew Lance was still on the other end from his soft breathing. 

 

_ “I can’t do that.” _

 

Keith felt his breath hitch; heart sinking faster than a stone through water.

 

“Why not?” 

 

_ “Because,”  _ Lance murmured,  _ “the stars only come out at night, and I miss you all the time. What am I supposed to look at during the day when you’re not here?” _

 

Keith huffed out a relieved chuckle, wiping residual tears from his face as he sat up. He walked over to his balcony, where the sun was making an appearance after being shrouded by clouds all morning. 

 

“Well, there is a star that’s out all day-”

 

_ “Are you telling me to stare at the sun?!”  _ Lance interrupted, bringing a laugh to Keith’s throat.  _ “Because I will. Look, I’m doing it right-ow, ow ow-ok, uh, this hurts. But I’ll do it for you!” _

 

There was a commotion on the other end, sounding as if something had fallen over, followed by a low hiss that had Keith’s concern spiking.

 

“Lance? Lance what did-”

 

_ “Okay, Keith dear, I don’t think the sun thing is gonna work. I mean I love you and all, but human eyes are not exactly equipped to handle something so bright. Also I may or may not have just fallen down the stairs leading into your cabin.”  _

 

Keith bit back a grin, not wanting to laugh at Lance’s misfortune but finding him too endearing to keep the amusement out of his voice. 

 

“Let’s stick with the night sky then,” he chuckled, wishing he could be there to help Lance back to his feet. “I don’t want you blinding yourself on my account.”

 

_ “It would be worth it.” _

 

“But then you wouldn’t be able to see me.”

 

_ “Maybe not,”  _ Lance agreed,  _ “but I could still touch you, and smell you, and taste you-” _

 

“Okay, okay-” Keith cut him off; cheeks flaring as he imagined Lance doing all of those things. “You’re so embarrassing.”

 

Lance huffed out a laugh, and Keith imagined the smile that would accompany such a sound. 

 

_ “Did I make your cheeks red?”  _ he asked knowingly, and Keith’s responding silence gave him all the answers he needed.  _ “Aw, my little strawberry! I miss seeing you change colour for me. It’s my favourite thing about you.” _

 

“Really?” Keith scoffed, slightly offended. “My blushing is what you like best about me? Gee, thanks.”

 

Lance laughed again, the sound bubbly and making Keith’s stomach flip contently, despite his attempt at being upset. 

 

_ “It’s what I  _ love _ about you,”  _ Lance clarified, further deepening the shade of crimson of Keith’s face.  _ “I also love your hair, and the way you push it out of your eyes when you’re trying to concentrate. And I love how you try to hide your smiles behind your hand, and when you laugh so hard no sound comes out of your mouth. I love how you grumble in the morning about waking up, and when you snuggle closer to me during the night after a dream. I also love when your eyes go all wide and your mouth sort of drops open when you get an idea, and you just look over at me with this growing smile, and I’m already on board with whatever you’re about to say because it’s you and…”  _ Lance trailed off, huffing contently into the phone. “ _ And I love you.” _

 

Keith was sure that his insides had warmed to the point of boiling, making his tongue feel too large for his mouth and his fingers shaky as they held the satellite phone. He wanted to make his own list of all the things he loved about Lance; spew them back in rapid fire as had been done to him. But as he sat there, staring unblinkingly at a photo on the far wall, the only words Keith was able to make himself say were short and pitiful in comparison, as if his brain was sold out of better, more heartfelt responses. 

 

“Yeah, ditto.”

 

It was the best he could with his heart still recovering from the onslaught of compliments Lance had hurled his way, but as soon as the words were out he wished he had just chosen to stay silent. 

 

_ “‘Ditto’?”  _ Lance asked, tone uncertain. “ _ What’s that mean?”  _ He was likely trying to decide if he should be amused, flattered, or disappointed, and Keith quickly changed the subject to avoid him coming to a conclusion. 

 

“Nothing, nevermind,” he waved a hand dismissively, forgetting that Lance couldn’t see him. “I just really want to kiss you right now.”

 

There was a sputtering noise on the other end, and then the sound of a throat being cleared, both of which had Keith chuckling in victory.

 

“Who’s the strawberry now?”

 

_ “Keeeiiittthh!” _ Lance whined, bringing another bout of laughter to Keith’s lips.  _ “You can’t just say something like that!” _

 

“Why not? You just assaulted me with compliments, like, three seconds ago.”

 

_ “Yeah but that was just me telling the truth! You can’t say you want to kiss me and then not  _ be _ here to actually do it! It’s not fair.” _

 

Keith’s smile faded, and he sighed as he ran a hand through his tangled hair. 

 

“You have no idea how much I want to be there right now,” he confessed, and Lance exhaled slowly in reply. “Like, I miss the trees, and the fresh air, and the peace and quiet.”

 

_ “Is that all you miss?” _ Lance prodded, bringing the corners of Keith’s mouth back up.

 

_ Only Lance can make me smile when I feel like I’m about to start crying.  _

 

“Of course not,” he scoffed back, allowing a teasing tone to taint his voice. “I also miss the view of the valley, and how vibrant the stars were at night. I miss the waterfall and the cave and-”

 

_ “Keith,” _ Lance grumbled, cutting him off.  _ “You’re the worst.” _

 

“You didn’t let me finish!” Keith exclaimed, grinning as he heard Lance’s responding harumph. “The thing I miss most…”

 

_ “Yeah?” _

 

“The one thing I want back, to hold and whisper sweet nothings to-”

 

_ “Mmmhmm?” _

 

“Is my jacket.”

 

_ “Keith!”  _ Lance squawed, making Keith guffaw loudly as he imagined the expression his forest spirit was wearing. 

 

“I’m joking! Joking,” he heaved a cheery sigh, letting a tenderness fill his voice as he went on. “I want you Lance. Nothing else.”

 

There was a long pause, in which Keith began to worry that Lance had accidentally hung up. But then he heard the barely audible plea echo softly into his ear, breaking his heart all over again.

 

_ “Then why don’t you come back?” _

 

_ Oh… _

 

_ I would if I could. But I can’t….yet.  _

 

“Lance…” he said instead, but the boy cut him off before he could get much else out. 

 

_ “Sorry, I know, I know. I shouldn’t have-” _ he exhaled sharply.  _ “I didn’t want to make you feel bad or anything. I just, it’s lonely….ah, nevermind. Forget I said anything.” _

 

But that was easier said than done. Keith knew that, for as difficult as it was for him to be away from Lance, how much harder it must be for him. Here, back in the city, Keith had Shiro and Pidge and Allura and Matt...but Lance didn’t really have anyone up on that mountain. Keith had never asked if he ever found companionship with other animals when he took their form, or how he spent his time when he grew bored or lonely. 

 

He  _ should _ have asked; should have made a point of getting to know more about the wondrous life Lance led, but he had been self-absorbed and caught up in the romance they had shared instead. 

 

_ As soon as I get back to him I’ll ask all these types of questions.  _

 

_ I’ll make a list. Two lists: one with my questions and another with all the reasons why I love him, so when we’re finally together again I can see his face when I say them out loud.  _

 

But no matter his resolve to do just that, there was still the matter of  _ when _ he would actually return. And  _ when _ was currently undefined. 

 

So instead of trying to reassure Lance with more weak promises and wishes for them to be together, he focused more on what he  _ could _ do to bring them within arms length once more. 

 

“Hey, listen,” he whispered gently. “I’m going to sort through all the photos we took together later on. I’m going to pick the best ones and send them to Shiro and Allura so we can start working on that magazine. And then I’ll help edit and write the articles, researching as much as I can into your area and how we can possibly protect it into the future.” 

 

Speaking his plans for the day was helping immensely, and Keith could feel himself grow increasingly motivated as he continued to inform Lance of legitimate,  _ achievable _ goals that he would accomplish as fast as possible. 

 

“I’ll contact Allura and her team and get them to keep me posted about upcoming projects and help them out as much as I can. Once the magazine is printed we’ll have to wait how the public responds, but I’ll keep you updated everyday.”

 

_ “Everyday?”  _ Lance asked hesitantly.  _ “You don’t have to do that just for my sake-” _

 

“It’s not for your sake!” Keith interrupted. “It’s for mine! I’ll go insane here without hearing your voice daily. I’ll call whenever I can, and talk to you about all I’ve learned and how many coffees I’ve drank and if my socks are matching or not.”

 

Lance snorted, but Keith was far from done.

 

“I’ll tell you what I ate for breakfast every morning, and how many dogs I met on my way to work. In fact, you’re gonna be so tired of hearing the sound of my voice that when I  _ do _ get to see you again you’ll turn into a snail and hide away in the moss.”

 

_ “I would never do that,”  _ Lance scoffed, but Keith could tell he was smiling.  _ “And I’ll never get tired of your voice, even if all you talk about is oatmeal.” _

 

“Oh I’m gonna talk about oatmeal _so_ much,” he jested, and Lance groaned playfully in reply. 

 

_ “I’ll still love you.” _

 

Keith was beaming; cheeks beginning to hurt from the action, but it was well worth it. 

 

“We’re apart, yes,” he went on in a more subdued tone, “but that doesn’t mean we have to be alone, ok? I’ll always just be a phone call away.”

 

Lance didn’t answer right away, which Keith guessed was due to him trying to disguise the sniffs and shaky breaths that typically accompanied tears. And since he couldn’t be there to wipe them away from Lance’s cheeks, he let the boy have a few moments to collect himself, waiting for him to speak next.

 

_ “E-even-” _ Lance paused, clearing his throat hastily before going on in a stronger voice.  _ “Even at night?” _

 

“Especially at night,” Keith smiled, looking forward to hearing Lance whisper him to sleep. “We won’t even have to talk, if you don’t want to. We can just call and drift off to the sound of each other breathing.”

 

_ “Or snoring, in your case,” _ Lance taunted, effectively ruining the poetic imagery Keith had concocted.

 

“I do  _ not  _ snore,” he shot back, blowing hair out of his face in irritation as Lance laughed. 

 

_ “Oh Keith, you snore louder than a black bear two months into hibernation.” _

 

Keith grunted, not bothering with a verbal response. Lance only giggled in reply.

 

_ “But I still love you.” _

 

“I guess you’re forgiven then,” Keith mumbled, feeling his ears begin to burn. No matter how many times Lance said it, Keith didn’t think he’d ever get used to hearing the proclamation spoken so leisurely. 

 

The rest of the morning was spent in a lengthy conversation about ladybugs and if petting dogs was considered cheating, which was only interrupted by a beeping on Lance’s end signifying the charge in his phone was low. They had said a lengthy goodbye, promising to call again later, and had eventually hung up. 

 

It was lonely again, just like that, but Keith didn’t allow the silence of his apartment to spoil the good mood Lance had brought. 

 

He had work to do now, and set about uploading all the photos he had taken over the month, sorting through which were worthy of print and editing the blue of Lance’s eyes wherever necessary. It felt wrong to do, destroying such crystal hues in photoshop, but leaving black bears and moose with sapphire irises would raise suspicions, or else draw more attention to the area that didn’t involve protection initiatives. 

 

Two folders were made: one with the photos he would send off to Shiro, and another he would keep for himself.

 

Pictures he had stolen throughout the month in the woods, captured in secret when Lance wasn’t looking. He printed out several of his favourites, making a note to buy frames at one point, and the empty feeling of loneliness faded as the day progressed. 

 

When darkness fell, he moved up to the roof of the building, catching sight of a few glowing specs in the sky as he waited for Lance to call. The stars were nothing here compared to how they looked in the wilderness, and Keith was grateful he had managed to capture as many nightscapes as he had, including some choice northern light shots, so he could pretend he was back on the grass staring up at the sky with Lance curled up beside him. 

 

And when Lance did call, they spoke about nothing in particular, just idle conversation with eyes shut tight. 

 

They fell asleep with satellite phones tucked beside them, drifting off to the sound of breathing, muffled with static as it was, and imagined they were together once more; safe and warm in the cradle of each other's arms.

 

Batteries drained and phones died, but their dreams carried them close, and the months that followed weren’t nearly as bad as Keith had thought. 

 

Hard, yes, and frustrating at times, but manageable. 

 

Still, he couldn't wait for the day he’d be back.

 

**Present Day**

 

The great thing about fresh snow is how soft it is, and as Keith fell backwards, a cloud of white powder rose up around him, cold and refreshing as it touched bare skin. But it was soft, which was a good thing, because whatever had knocked him down was heavy and firmly planted on his chest. 

 

“Ugh-” he broke off as something wet hit his cheek, and opened his eyes to sharp teeth and needy paws. A cold black nose contrasted starkly with the warm pink tongue that blocked most of his vision, but everything came into focus when Keith saw the eyes of the creature currently attacking his face.

 

Wide. 

 

Familiar.

_ Blue. _

 

“Lance!” he yelped, gasping as the little creature on his chest performed several hops of what Keith understood to be excitement. “Ooft, ok, get off-AH!” 

 

He broke off as snow from his hood snuck past the layer of clothing protecting his skin and trickled down his back, causing him to convulse at the frigid touch. 

 

“EEEP!” 

 

The squeal this time was not due to melting snow freezing his flesh, but rather from the sudden blinding light and suffocating weight of a full grown man draped over his chest. But the sound effect was all Keith could manage to get out before icy lips were enthusiastically pressed to his own.

 

“Mmfph-” he tried, not able to properly enjoy the kiss as more snow gathered down his jacket, and it wasn’t like his gloved hands could take advantage of the excess amount of skin,  _ human skin _ , now available at his disposal. 

 

Lance didn’t appear to be getting much out of it either, as he pulled back with a whine as his knees sunk into the snow. 

 

“ _ COLD!” _ he shrieked, and a flash of light later he was back in his fox form, though still firmly sitting on Keith’s chest. Keith grinned, though it quickly morphed into a grimace as frozen water trickled down his spine. He sat up with a groan, holding Lance close as the fox squirmed against the movement.

 

“Calm do- _ ”  _

 

Again he was blinded, and all at once human Lance was back, grabbing hold of Keith’s face and smothering it with rapid-fire kisses. 

 

“I-” he spoke between breaths. “Missed. You. And-ACK! HUMAN FLESH IS SO USELESS! I’M FREEZING!” 

 

“Lance! Lance,” Keith was laughing now as his brown skinned beauty attempted to crawl completely onto him, avoiding all white powder and shooting glares at the snow whenever it touched his skin. “Turn back or you’ll give yourself hypothermia!”

 

“But I wanna kiss you!”

 

“Same,” Keith admitted, “but not in the snow! Wait till we’re at the cabin.”

 

Lance pouted, goosebumps raised over his arms and torso. 

 

“I’m tired of waiting.”

 

Keith smiled fondly back at him, indulging him with a single peck to the cheek before knocking him backwards off his lap. Lance shifted before his body hit the snow, turning back into what Keith assumed was an arctic fox, due to the colouring of his coat. The critter jumped around Keith’s legs before hurriedly scampering up the path that would lead them home, turning back with each step to ensure Keith was following.

 

“I’m coming, just hold on,” he mumbled as he shook the snow from his jacket, wincing as more ended up down his spine. “I hate snow, you know that? Hellish stuff.”

 

Lance answered by running back down towards him and jumping up, knocking into Keith’s legs before pushing off again. 

 

Keith chuckled, understanding what was being instructed, and adjusted his pack before following. 

 

“I really hope there’s wood for a fire,” he called out as Lance forged a path. “Otherwise it’ll be a cold night.”

 

The look he received was sly, even for a fox, and Keith knew immediately what message had been sent.

 

_ There are other ways to keep warm. _

 

He flushed at the thought, biting back a smile as they trudged along. It didn’t take long to reach the valley, and once the cabin came into view Keith’s energy levels spiked to the max, despite the calm the scene exhumed. It was pristine: roof blanketed in a thick layer of snow, windows iced and chimney poking up through the white. Several well trodden paths led from the porch out into the surrounding woods, and Lance altered their course to merge onto one as they left the shelter of the woods.

 

Walking was easier after that, and Keith removed his snowshoes upon reaching the steps of the cabin, tossing his bag down onto the porch swing and sighing contently for multiple reasons. 

 

Lance didn’t let him fully enjoy the moment of return however, and scratched at the door impatiently until Keith finally opened it.

 

Not much had changed since Keith had left, save for his jacket hanging on the back of one of the chairs and a pile of blankets stacked haphazardly on the bed, looking slept in and very much nest-like. 

 

His satellite radio, now Lance’s, was propped by the window, where the solar charger was in full view of the sun poking through. 

 

It looked lived in, the space, which was as heartwarming as it was melancholic, and Keith stood in the doorway for a long moment, simply taking it all back in as his heart swelled and his jaw began to tremble. He knew he had missed this place, but finally being back made him realize to what extent. 

 

It was like having a part of himself reunited after so long, and he figured this must be what it feels like for people returning after a long vacation, or even a stressful day at work: opening that front door and breathing in that familiar scent, feeling the troubles melt away. The cabin was a sanctuary, and Keith let himself relax as his eyes swept over the place.

 

“Welcome home.”

 

Arms wrapped around him from behind, and all at once Keith was spinning in their grasp, coming face to face with Lance,  _ his Lance _ , and taking in the sight of something infinitesimally more precious than the cabin. 

 

He didn’t speak as he threw his arms around Lance’s neck, closing whatever distance remained between them, grinning as their lips met. 

 

The kiss was hasty: rushed and needy, and they broke apart for air several times, not allowing the time for proper breaths before diving back in. It was retribution for the months spent apart, cursing the distance as they held each other through a phone.

 

But when Keith tore off his gloves to remove the barrier between his hands and Lance’s skin, the goosebumps he felt beneath his palm were enough to have clarity flooding back into his brain. 

 

Lance was cold, and kissing could wait.

 

He pulled back, pressing a hand to Lance’s chest when the boy made to follow, and grinned as he saw the dopey expression on his face. 

 

“Hold on,” he rasped, giggling as a pout took over, and Lance slowly opened his eyes to see why the attention had stopped. 

 

“Why? You said in the cabin we could-”

 

“I know,” Keith laughed, cupping Lance’s cheek and not feeling much warmth beneath. They would have a proper reunion once a fire had been started. “But you’re freezing. Let me get you warm first.”

 

Lance raised a brow at that, smirking as he shimmied closer.

 

“Oh Keith, I like the sound of that…”

 

“With a fire you wombat,” Keith snapped back, allowing himself one more kiss before moving to the bed to grab a blanket. “Here,” he said as he wrapped it around Lance’s shoulders. “Turn into something that will keep you warm until I can get a fire started, okay?”

 

Lance frowned, pulling the blanket in tighter as he latched onto Keith’s arm. 

 

“No, I want to stay like this.”

 

“You’ll freeze-”

 

“Then you can take care of me,” Lance retorted with a grin, one that had Keith’s cheeks flaring as he imagined all the ways he could do just that. 

 

“Fine,” he relented as he stepped outside to grab his backpack and shut the door. “But at least put these on.”

 

He handed Lance a thick pair of socks, along with flannel pajamas and a hoodie he’d swiped from Shiro. Lance did as asked, making a show of stepping out of the blanket and laughing as Keith’s face burned scarlet.

 

“Ah,” he chuckled as he donned the clothing. “I really missed strawberry Keith.”

 

“Shut up and get dressed,” Keith shot back, though there was no denying his own smile. He had to force himself to remember the task at hand lest he lose all focus and tear away the items he had just given Lance. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in the bed and forget about his frozen toes; kiss away the goosebumps on Lance’s skin and run his fingers all along his body. 

 

_ You can still do that, _ he reminded himself as he crouched by the fireplace.  _ And it’ll be even nicer with a fire. So do that first. _

 

_ Right. _

 

There was a heaping pile of tinder in the corner of the cabin, which Keith was grateful for. It hadn’t been like he’d asked Lance to stock up or anything, but the boy must have been preparing anyway. 

 

A guilt crept into Keith’s mind, thinking of Lance up here all alone, waiting by the phone for him to call, not knowing when he would come back.

 

It made his chest tighten as he arranged the wood, wondering how often Lance had stared up at the stars with tears in his eyes.

 

“Hey,” Lance’s voice was hushed by his ear as he moved to sit next to Keith on the floor, looking cozy in his get-up. “You okay?” A thumb brushed under his eye, wiping away a tear Keith hadn’t known he’d shed. 

 

He leaned into the touch, and Lance’s palm moved to brush away the long hair from his face, tucking it behind his ear as concerned blue eyes scanned over him. 

 

“Keith?”

 

“I just,” Keith whispered, biting his lower lip to keep it from trembling. For some reason his grasp on his emotions had broken, and he shifted so he could wrap his arms around Lance securely, holding him close as he buried his face in Lance’s neck. “I missed you so much and-and I’m just...really happy to be back-”

 

He broke off as his voice hitched; Lance’s arms pulling him in tight as his tears flowed over. 

 

_ Why am I crying!? I shouldn’t be sad!  _

 

_ This makes no sense! _

 

But reason and emotion rarely went hand in hand.

 

“I missed you too Keith,” Lance cooed into his hair, stroking it back reassuringly. “I missed you more than the soil misses the sun in the winter. I wanted you here with me, all to myself, to hold and hug and tease and love. Every second of every day we were apart, it was like my soul was split. It hurt, even when we could talk to each other, because every time I heard you laugh I pictured your smile and how much I wanted to kiss it. And whenever you started crying I imagined what I would do to comfort you were I there. It was horrible, being apart, because I couldn’t do the things I wanted with you. I kept thinking that one day I would wake up and you would forget about me. That your call wouldn’t come...I just-”

 

He trailed off, and at this point Keith was sobbing, clutching to Lance’s clothing like it was a lifeline. 

 

“I’m really happy you’re back as well,” he finished softly, and Keith pulled away just far enough to tilt his head back, catching Lance’s lips with his own and sinking into the embrace. 

 

It was a wet kiss, to say the least. Salty and chaste, but Keith still committed it to memory as they broke apart, bumping their foreheads together as giggles arose in their throats. 

 

“I thought you said you needed to get a fire started,” Lance jested as he nuzzled Keith’s nose with his own. Keith had a retort ready; several to be exact, but he chose instead to place another delicate kiss to Lance’s lips, sighing against them as Lance’s hands moved down his back. Keith followed suit, allowing his fingers to trace patterns over smooth brown skin as he pushed forward, practically climbing into Lance’s lap as the boy toppled over. 

 

But the kiss only broke for a moment, and after a quick pause it deepened, mouths opening and breath hot. Keith was still wearing all his winter gear, a fact he was reminded of when Lance’s hands dove beneath his clothing and up along his torso.

 

It had Keith shivering in response, but not for the reason he wanted.

 

“ _ Jesus,” _ he cursed as he flinched back, sitting up and pulling Lance’s arms away. “Your fingers are actually ice.”

 

“Maybe,” Lance quipped, tilting forward and wiggling his hands as they edged closer to Keith’s stomach again. “But you’re warm. Share some of that body heat with me-”

 

Keith yelped as Lance shot forward, slipping his fingers beneath Keith’s jacket and planting them firmly to his back. 

 

“La-AH!” 

 

“Mmmm, so warm,” Lance sang as he moved them upwards, trapping Keith in his lap with his legs. “It’s like touching a sun-baked stone.”

 

“That’s not-EEK! As romantic as you think!” Keith struggled to back away, but Lance was strong, and held firm. “Lance stop, you’re  _ freezing! _ ”

 

His plea went unanswered, and the hands moved from his back to his front, causing Keith to jolt at the frigid touch. 

 

“Nooo!” he squealed, finally managing to roll off and away from Lance’s attack. The boy was laughing pleasantly, sitting with his legs crossed as Keith eyed him suspiciously.

 

“That was rude,” he commented when Lance made no move to continue. “I trusted you.”

 

“That was your mistake,” Lance winked, patting the spot beside him. “But I promise I won’t do it again.”

 

Keith raised a brow skeptically, but his resolve wasn’t strong enough to stay away. He shuffled back over to Lance, grabbing numb brown hands in both of his and bringing them to his mouth to warm. Lance watched with a fond expression, eyes soft and smile even more so, and Keith let his fingers go after placing a quick kiss to each one.

 

“Okay, for real,” he murmured as he turned away. “I’m going to start a fire. No more distractions.”

 

“I’m not the one distracting here!” Lance scoffed, folding his arms over his chest. “That would be you.”

 

“Nuh uh. It’s definitely you,” Keith replied nonchalantly, reaching for a lighter. 

 

“Really now.”

 

“Hmmhhm.”

 

“Then perhaps I should leave-”

 

“No!” Keith whirled, grabbing hold of Lance’s sleeve before the boy even had time to get up. Blue eyes lifted to meet his, before crinkling at the corners as a smug grin lifted Lance’s lips. 

 

But if he had been about to say something witty and teasing, he decided not to, and instead scooted closer into Keith’s side, wrapping both arms around his torso and leaning his head down onto his shoulder.

 

“Kay then,” he hummed once settled. “I’ll stay right here.”

 

Keith wanted to say something cute in return, but decided on another course of action, planting a lingering kiss to Lance’s forehead. He couldn’t help himself. He was useless around Lance; his mind only able to perform one task at a time when he was so close.

 

And none of those tasks involved making a fire, which Lance was quick to remind him of as Keith leaned in closer.

 

“What about the fi-”

 

“Fuck it,” Keith decided, sealing his decision with a kiss as his lips met Lance’s once more. 

 

Besides, there were other ways to keep warm.

 

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: I think this series will be finished with this. I know I had intentions of having more but my writing style has changed and with it my ambitions to continue this story. I apologize for this, and if you have any questions feel free to ask me on my Tumblr (vulpes--vulpes) and I'll answer them as best I can.
> 
> Again, I apologize for this, but such is life. Thank you for reading this far :)


End file.
